


His Breath was Fire

by LockAtlas



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Bullying, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Happy Ending, Langst, M/M, Pining, Trauma, klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-04-21 00:16:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14272683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LockAtlas/pseuds/LockAtlas
Summary: Lance has a secret that only Hunk knows. What will his friends feel when they find out what it is?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi welcome to the first chapter  
> Here's a lil guide  
> LoverBoy- Lance  
> RamseyWannabe- Hunk  
> SuckItDisney- Allura  
> WingingIt- Shiro  
> RedIsBetter- Keith
> 
> Word count~1,499 aproximately

The group chats with Keith’s friends were complete chaos. They all hung out every day, they all saw each other every day, but talking about anything that wasn’t school was a rare occurrence. Every night they texted each other and talked about everything under the sun. Well, Keith didn’t, but it was therapeutic watching everyone’s chemistry. It wasn’t entirely therapeutic because of Lance Fucking McClain.

Lance McClain was annoying, his narcissism lept every bound. His competitive spirit was unending, he flirted all the time, he was loud. He wore long sleeves or pushed up sleeves everywhere. It was 90 degrees at an amusement park and he went in a fucking sweatshirt. All in all he made no sense. Usually Keith didn’t give two shits about people’s fashion choices but Lance went too far with it, he never pressed it though, the one time he did, Hunk gave him this disappointed but kind look. Lance was lucky that Hunk was a gentle loveable giant, or Keith would rip him to shreds.

 **LoverBoy:** everyone pay attention to me i have an important question

 **RamseyWannabe** : I love you Lance McClain but we pay lots of attention to you

 **SwawkMotherfucker:** you needy fuck boi you

 **LoverBoy** : be nice ;’-(

 **I’mWingingIt:** you are pretty needy Lance, but don’t worry its quirky :-)

 **SuckItDisney** : Yeah you’re precious

 **LoverBoy:** awwwww you guys I know but stilllll

 **SwawkMotherfucker:** WE ALL LOVE LANCE WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION

 **RedIsBetter** : I don’t.

 **RamseyWannabe:** He’ll grow on you Keith

 **RedIsBetter:** Snort

 **RedIsBetter** : Doubt.

 **LoverBoy** : okay real isopod hours question. are the hairs on medusa’s legs also snakes or???

 **SwawkMotherfucker** : oh my god.

 **SwawkMotherfucker:** i found something I don’t know the answer to… what does this mean for the future??

 **I’mWingingIt:** now this is a tragedy

 **SuckItDisney:** Oh be nice Shiro

 **RedIsBetter:** I mean technically they wouldn’t be because of the short peach fuzz on people’s faces and leg hair is generally the same length as peach fuzz before                       you shave it so I don’t think that it would be based on most Medusa lore.

 **LoverBoy:** wow way to ruin it keith god you suck

 **RedIsBetter:** You were the one who asked you ASS

 **LoverBoy:** as much as i love talking about my ass YOU nerded out about medusa’s leg hair

 **RedIsBetter:** Oh fuck off Lance your ass is a pancake

 **SwawkMotherfucker:** i love that you both are falling in lovebut im getting tired of this pissing contest

 **SwawkMotherfucker:** also i think that lance is right have some imagination keith

 **RamseyWannabe:** in all of my 12 years of being friends with Lance, this is the first time I don’t agree with him

 **LoverBoy:** hUNK THIS IS BETRAYAL OH MY GOD

 **RedIsBetter:** Suck it Lance

 **LoverBoy:** i might be half gay but it is not for you keith

 **RedIsBetter:** I was joking you twat.

 **SuckItDisney:** well I love this banter buuutttt its 3am and I don’t want to die tomorrow

 **I’mWingingIt** : i agree with Allura, go to sleep kids

 **SwawkMotherfucker:** of course you do Shiro wink ;-D

 **LoverBoy:** wink wonk

 **RedIsBetter:** Stop.

 

.

 

After two lectures and staying up until three am fighting with Lance, Keith was exhausted, but of course Hunk lured the group to the bakery. Luring your friends with perfect pastries should be illegal. And that is how Keith found himself shoved into a cold booth this late October afternoon. Lance and Allura were on either side of him, surprisingly chipper considering. Shiro sat across from him laughing with Pidge. She was joking about something.

Hunk finally walked to the booth with a tray of like twenty cinnamon rolls. “Sorry guys, there was a spill.” He walked back to the counter as a new customer walked in. Lance made a weird moaning noise and reached for the tray.

Lance, as expected, was wearing a baggy sweater and a collared shirt poking from the top. Annoyingly enough, his sleeves were so goddamn baggy that they were close to touching the cinnamon rolls. Without thinking, Keith reached out and grabbed his shoulder. “Yo, get your crusty sleeves out of the food,”

Lance jerked his arm out of Keith’s hand, “Don’t touch my arms.” Lance’s tone quickly changed to a serious one. His face set in a scowl. Keith had forgotten that Lance hated having his arms or really any of his upper body touched. Keith held up his hands in apology, “Sorry man forgot your thing.”

Lance looked off aggressively. “Yeah. Sure you’re sorry.” “Dude. I apologized. Don’t be an asshole.”

Lance stood up and dragged Keith out of the booth behind of him. He turned him around with the most frightening look on his face. Keith has never been afraid of Lance McClain until this moment.

“You know that I hate when people touch my shoulders. What in all fuck possessed you to do that?”

Shiro tried interjecting before Lance shot him down.

“I apologized. I don’t know what’s wrong with you and your precious shoulder but fucking cool it.” Lance’s shoulders tensed as he was about to say something, but luckily for the both of them, Hunk walked over with a cup of iced lemonade in his hands.

Everyone knew that lemonade Lance’s comfort. Hunk came over and grabbed Lance’s wrist, “Come on. He didn’t mean it. He just doesn’t know. It’s okay. Sit down and drink this. It’s okay.” Lance sighed and sat down as everyone stared at him. Keith leaned over to Hunk, “What the fuck was that?” Hunk sighed and smiled a sad smile at him, “He’ll tell ya one day. It’s not something for me to say.” 

 

.

 

After about thirty minutes Lance had calmed down and apologized to Keith. The rest of the hangout went fine. No one really wanted to talk about Lance’s strange outburst.

 

.

 

Lance didn’t mean to lash out at Keith but he had bad memories. Bad memories of the worst sensation he has ever felt in his entire life. He didn’t need to be teased by Keith about his scars. He got enough of the teasing when he was a kid. Apparently, small children had no empathy for people who were struck by lightning.

It happened when lance was 10 years old. He had been bringing in the dogs during a record-breakingly bad storm. He had almost gotten into the house when it struck. His whole body burned and froze at the same time. He was numb and he ached at the same time. His body was a cacophony of contradictory sensations. He was in the hospital for 4 months.

Somehow, due to amazing chance, he got out of the situation relatively fine. The only thing that was wrong with him was that his whole body was incredibly sensitive. His nerves had jumped into overdrive instead of shorting out. He also had Lichtenberg scars lacing across his upper body.

They were a pale pink-almost white color. The source started on his back and it danced out in patterns away from the main tissue to cover his chest and shoulders. The top of the scarring stopped just above his collar bone and the bottom stopped at the swell of his hips.

When he was little, he loved the scars. He felt like a superhero with them. His parents called them beautiful and his siblings called them cool. Some were actually jealous of the elegant webbing across his body. His confidence went downhill on his first day of school.

The kids called him a ‘freak’ and ‘ugly’. That’s when Lance met Hunk. When everyone else taunted him and beat him down, Hunk played superheroes with him and hung out with him. It wasn’t out of pity or that he felt sorry for Lance, Hunk truly thought the scars were amazing, he liked Lance for who he was not what his body looked like. Hunk’s thoughts didn’t stop Lance from covering them up though.

Eventually the kids at their school forgot about the scars and life went on for Lance. With Hunk’s help he found confidence in who he was as a person, instead of the horrible reminder of his past. So the two boys stuck together through everything, through Lance experimenting in the boys locker room with a hockey player and getting caught, through Lance coming out as bisexual, through Hunk’s parents getting a divorce. They never ever grew apart and Hunk was Lance’s stability. But now Lance just needed to think.

He would have to tell the group someday. Was he willing to risk losing the best friends he had ever made? Could he make it through the ridicule from his peers a second time? His thoughts were a hurricane in his head and rain began to fall. His comfort was the cool drops on his skin. His anxiety was waiting for thunder to rumble overhead. If that happened, Lance wasn’t sure he would make it to his house without feinting. He loved the rain but despised the thunder and lightning. What a tangled web…


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Always knock first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this took so long. My computer keyboard broke and I just got it fixed. Take this long chapter as an apology.

Lance had decided to take a walk. It was a Saturday so he had no classes. He needed time to think. After his outburst with Keith, he realized that he would have to tell the group about his scars eventually; he couldn't hide it forever. He was a horrible liar so if someone asked him what was wrong, he wasn't entirely sure what would happen. The lack of control made him nervous.

Distracted by the typhoon of thoughts rattling in his head, he had failed to notice he was about to trip over the leg of a park bench. Luckily, the man on the bench caught his attention.

"Hey buddy! Watch your step." Lance looked up at the sound of the man's voice. "Oh thanks man-Oh my gosh, Rolo?" Memories of his harshest bully through his childhood echoed through his head. He reflexively backed up.

"Hey man, long time no see. Its been what, four years?"

"Yeah, haven't seen you since you went to juvie. Uh-How are you bud?"

"I'm good, I'm good. Hey, you ever make it to space like you always talked about?"

Lance felt tense. He had never had a normal, civil conversation with Rolo. Something was going on.

"Not yet, going on my second year in the Garrison."

He heard Hunk yelling for him. He had to talk to him about telling the group.

"Oh my god, is that Hunk? Man he got ripped. Not the little tubby boy he used to be anymore huh?"

Hunk jogged up to Lance's side in time to hear the comment. His face set up into an uncomfortable scowl, "Yeah, I guess so. Anyway Lance and I have to go. Bye Rolo."

Rolo chuckled and shook both of their hands. "Yeah, Yeah. I get it. Just one more thing, Lance," he pushed up the sleeve on Lance's hoodie to expose the white webs on his shoulder, "Don't think I forgot about this, fucking mutant.  A fag and a mutant. Got a lot going for ya'." Rolo sneered at the two of them and walked away from the bench.

As soon as Rolo was out of sight, Lance quickly pulled down his sleeve and sat on the, now empty, park bench. His fingers were buried in his hair when he heard the sound of pretentious leather boots against the concrete. "What the Hell happened to you?"

* * *

"Why did you bring him?!" Lance whispered as he gestured vaguely to Keith. Hunk raised his hands in protest, "I figured you needed someone to practice telling it too! He doesn't really give a shit so I figured it would be easy!"

"I already know you're bi, Lance." 

Lance turned to him with an annoyed expression, "Oh my GOD, it's not about that you moron."

Keith flipped him off in reply. Lance, groaned and turned back to Hunk. He din't really know what to say so he whined and gestured to Keith again. Hunk huffed and grabbed Lance by the shoulders.

"Lance Charles McClain, when have I ever steered you wrong?" Lance sighed in defeat, "Never." Hunk looked him in the eye, "Do this, if not for me then for yourself." Lance knew that Hunk was right. 

He sat down on the bench and Keith looked at him blankly, if he was curious about what Lance was going to say, he was doing a great job of hiding it. 

"Dude spit it out. I have things to do, this is my lunch break, I'd rather not spend it with you."

"Yeah well you're making it really easy." Keith huffed and rolled his eyes, he was instantly shook from his annoyance when ocean blue eyes clashed clashed with violet.

Lance continued to flounder with his words, in this time Keith raked in the color of Lance's eyes. He had always know they were blue but he had never really payed any attention to them. Looking farther into them, he realized how complicated the color was. They were a deep blue layered under sky blue webbing. In his right eye he had three gold flecks around his pupil, in his left eye the flecks were a brownish-green color. Keith was starting to blush from the eye contact and was thankful when Lance closed his recently discovered, beautiful eyes.

"Okay, Keith?"

Keith noticed his eyes were still closed. "Yeah?" His voice came out a little softer than anticipated. 

"I have-uh-I have scars."

"So do I. What's your point?"

Lance pushed up the sleeve of his hoodie and showed Keith his arm.

Keith had never seen anything like it. The pale pink stood out against Lance's cinnamon colored skin. The scars didn't look like they were from self harm or a fall, like the ones Keith had, they were something entirely new. Keith didn't know what to say. He stuttered slightly and finally looked at Lance, who was staring at him with a pained expression.

"What... Are these?"

Lance quickly stood up and walked away. "I knew you wouldn't get it." He pushed past Hunk and walked angerly in the direction of his apartment.

Keith tried going after him, but Hunk grabbed his shoulder. "Before you go, tread carefully. He's sensitive about it. You can't be all tough, edgy, college drop-out with this. Show him your soft side and don't judge him. He's gone through a lot, and so have you. This could be a bonding moment for you guys." Keith nodded towards Hunk and took off after Lance.

* * *

Lance needed a shower. After dealing with Rolo and the look on Keith's face when he showed him the scars, he needed to unwind. Maybe have a good old fashioned cry in the shower. He walked through his small studio apartment towards one of the only doors, on his way there, he picked up a pair of baggy basketball shorts.

When he got to the bathroom he set the shorts on the closed toilet seat. His shower took forever to heat up so he decided he would turn it on and get a shirt while he waited.

He walked out towards his bed and pulled his shirt off over his head and stretched his shoulders. He was rummaging through his dresser when he heard his front door slam open.

 Keith barged through the front door, "Lance, I'm-" He was cut off when he looked at a half naked, incredibly attractive Cuban boy standing in front of him. The nest thing he noticed was his back was turned and scars covered his back. They were barely raised off of his skin, and they were the same pale pink as the ones on his arms.

They were beautiful. Lance quickly turned around and froze. His eyes went wide when he saw Keith standing in his doorway, his mouth hung open.

"I-"

"Holy shit Lance." He walked towards him in the middle of the room. "Turn around." 

Lance did so surprising both himself, and Keith. But the pale faced boy sounded so trustworthy, he didn't sound aggressive or taunting in anyway, he sounded awed, almost starstruck. 

Keith's hands hovered over the scars. He wanted to touch them. He wanted to know the contrast between them and Lance's freckled shoulders. He was unconsciously stepping closer to Lance. There was only about six inches between them. 

"Can I..."

Just above a whisper Lance said, "Go for it."

Keith placed two of his fingers on Lance's shoulder blade. He traced one of the webs in towards his spine and stopped just before the pale pink source or the webbing. He then placed his full palm across the small of Lance's back. He ran his hand upwards toward his neck. He didn't notice his hand creeping over Lance's shoulder. He pulled is hand back but didn't leave his skin. He traced his way back down and heard a small gasp when he traced over one of Lance's ribs. He was quickly noticing how intimate the moment was but he kept going. 

He reached the start of Lance's hip and stopped. Lance took his hand and moved it down over his hip. Lance let out a sigh and whispered, "Come closer."

Keith didn't think, his body moved on it's own. He stepped forward until his chest was pressed into Lance's back. He kept his right hand on Lance's hip and placed his left on his waist. He slowly moved up his wast with both hands, grazing over Lance's sensitive ribs. He leaned forward to place his chin on Lance's shoulder. Lance leaned his head to the side to give him room.

Hunk was getting worried. It was too quiet in Lance's apartment. He had been standing outside for about ten minutes. He decided to walk n and see what was going on. What he was not expecting to find was Keith pressed into Lance's bare back, running his hands over his body. What he was  **definitely** not expecting was to find the both if them flushed with clouded half hooded eyes. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please understand that I am not trying to romanticize Lichtenberg scarring, I just happen to think it's beautiful and I think it would look beautiful on Lance. I understand that Lance's experience with being struck by lightning is not exactly realistic but neither is voltron please don't fight me. Anyway I hope you like this. Any comments are appreciated.


End file.
